Washington: Screenwriter J.F. Lawton has revealed that iconic rom-com 'Pretty Woman' was first written as dark and gritty.

The 54-year-old told Vanity Fair in a interview pegged to the film's 25th anniversary, explaining that ' Pretty Woman' was initially a script titled 3,000, about a financially destroyed America and a story of a girl who wanted to change her life, and did, Us Magazine reported.

Lawton further added that the script was then rewritten by numerous others to fit what director Gary Marshall wanted, "a combination of fairytales," where Julia Roberts was Rapunzel, Richard Gere was Prince Charming and Hector Elizondo was the fairy godmother.